Bartholomaeus Spranger: Epitaph of Goldsmith Nicolas Müller of Prague (1592 - 1593)

( National Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic)

A painting by the Flemish artist Bartholomaeus Spranger (1546-1611). This piece is a memorial painting commemorating a deceased person. In this case Spranger made this painting for his father-in-law Nicolas Müller, goldsmith and trader from Prague. Nicolas Müller is the man second from the left, with a prayerbook. His daughter Christina, and wife of Spranger, is standing at the far right. The other woman is the goldsmith’s wife who has a mourning black hat and with a prayerbook. The scene above the group show the resurrection of Christ. Christ is standing on a sarcophagus with one of his feet is resting on a serpent and a glass globe, which contains Adam’s skull - this represents the victory over the Original sin (the consumption of the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil by Adam and Eve). Painting from 1592-1593.